Tool for inserting fluting



Nov. 13, 1956 G. .1. KELLY TOOL FOR 1 NSERTING FLUTING Filed Jan. 20 1951 INVENTOR United States Patent G TGOL FOR INSERTING FLUTING Girard J. Kelly, Light Street, Pa., assignor to American Car and Foundry Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 20, 1951, Serial No. 206,957

2 Claims. (Cl. 29-235) This invention relates to a tool for the insertion of spring type metallic fluting into a recess.

As previously applied, snap-in type flutings have been manually inserted. In railway car work, the fluting may be as long as eighty feet and require ten or more men to prevent twisting While the fluting is being inserted in the prepared recess. Frequently, the fluting would suddenly twist and injure the installation men. It is an object, therefore, of the present invention to provide a simple tool whereby two men can easily apply a fluting of a snap-in type.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a tool for the insertion of snap-in fluting which tool will not only compress the resilient sides but will positively control twisting of the fluting.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a tool for inserting fluting in which rollers are provided having portions imparting a definite inward thrust to the lower edge of the fluting as it enters the tool.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from a study of the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an end view of the improved tool.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view.

Fig. 3 is a side view, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the tool in use.

Referring now to the drawings in detail it will be seen that the tool comprises a flat base member 2 to which is welded a U-shaped handle 4. The base member is preferably formed of steel and has attached thereto a fibrous pad 6 of leather or other similar material. This pad as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is formed with a longitudinally extending groove 8 which is adapted to en gage the tent-shaped top portion 10 of the fluting strip. A plurality of rollers R are mounted on the base by means of bolts 12, and certain of these bolts can be loosened and adjusted in slots 14 to control the lateral spacing between the rollers and obtain the correct compression of the fluting. Each roller is formed with a flat tread portion 16 and a projecting rim portion 18. The flat tread portion, as clearly shown, is adapted to engage the depending spaced-apart side flanges 20 of the metallic fluting and compress or contract the sides inwardly toward each other. The rims 18 are adapted to engage the lower edges or edge surface of the flanges 2t) and hold the fluting upwardly in close engagement with the fibrous pad 6 and its groove 8. Intermediate the rollers, one or more guide members 22 may be rigidly attached to the base member as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This guide member will assist in preventing twisting of the fluting and, at the same time, will be of assistance in guiding the fluting into the tool during application of the tool to the fluting.

Referring particularly to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the prepared recess 30 has inwardly sloping side walls 32 forming an elongated opening of less width than the normal spacing of the side flanges and between which the compressed fluting side flanges are to be inserted and 2,770,032 Patented Nov. 13,1956

which. will closely grip the fluting flanges. when the same have expanded after an insertion into the recess. The prepared recess, as shown, is part of a car wall W such as is used at present: on the so-called' streamlined railway cars. After the tool has been inserted onzanend portion of the fluting, as indicated in Fig. 1, the toolwill be tipped slightly and moved in the-direction of the arrow'of Fig. 4. The side flanges at the end portion of the fluting strip will be compressed sufliciently to insert the same through the recess opening where they will become anchored in the recess by resilient expansion against the side walls 32 thereof. Continued movement of the tool will cause the tread portions 16 to progressively compress successive portions of the side walls of the fluting as it is pulled there along, and the rims 18 rolling on the edges of the flanges will not only hold the fluting in close engagement with the groove of fibrous pad 6 but will, due to their rotation, impart a compressive action for inward thrust on the lower edges of the flanges. As the fluting leaves the tool, the roller rims will tend to spread the lower edges of the fluting flanges, but there will be very slight pressure at this point due to the angularity existing between roller and fluting and due to the inward pressure being applied by the spacer to the tool during its movement in the direction thereof. The anchored portion of the strip will exert a force on the adjacent unanchored portion thereof following release from the tool to progressively force the depressed side flanges through the recess opening formed by the diverging side walls 32. If desired, the bolts 12 of the rollers adjacent the rear end of the tool may be tilted slightly so as to increase or decrease this spreading action of the rims 18.

While the invention has been described more or less in detail with specific reference to the drawings, it is obvious that various modifications and rearrangements of parts other than those shown and described may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tool for inserting a resilient metallic snap-in type fluting having a top portion and depending side flanges terminating in lower edge surfaces into a prepared recess comprising, a base member having a grooved portion engageable with the top portion of the fluting, pairs of spaced-apart rollers mounted on said base member at opposite sides of said grooved portion for rotation about substantially parallel axes, said rollers each having a flat tread portion engageable with the side flanges of the fluting to compress the same'toward each other and a rim portion projecting outwardly from the lower portion of the flat tread portion and engageable with the edge surface of the fluting side flanges to retain the fluting in the tool and to prevent side twist of the fluting during insertion in the prepared recess, guide means secured to said base member between a pair of said rollers engageable by said fluting to assist said rollers in preventing side twist of the fluting, and a handle for moving said tool along said fluting.

2. A tool for the insertion into a prepared recess of a resilient metallic snap-in type fluting having a tent-shaped top portion and depending side flanges adapted to resiliently engage the walls of the recess comprising, a base member having a grooved fibrous pad secured thereto engageable with the tent-shaped top portion of the fluting, pairs of spaced-apart rollers mounted on said base member at opposite sides of said fluting each having a flat tread portion adapted to compress the side flanges of the fluting toward each other, said rollers each also having a rim portion projecting radially from the outer periphery of said flat tread portion engageable with the lower edge surface of said fluting side flanges to force the fluting into engagement with said fibrous pad and prevent twist References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Osborn July 21, 1885 4 Houck Apr. 28, 1908 Rafi June 29, 1920 Maise June 23, 1925 Olson Sept. 27, 1932 Oestanes Oct. 25, 1932 Dempsey June 22, 1937 Faiveley Jan. 3, 1939 Morner Dec. 29, 1942 Carlin Sept. 12, 1944 

